Network for Computational Nanotechnology - NanoBIO Node

这项提议旨在伊利诺伊州建立重新配置的计算纳米技术网络(NCN)的纳米生物节点。拟议的节点将创建广泛的在线资源，目的是将NCN网络平台定位为各种计算和实验纳米生物社区的协作互动的协调中心。虽然该提案涵盖了广泛的活动，但最重要的目标是通过完成一组四个高优先技术目标来组织该节点，作为迈向纳米生物生态系统的第一步：1)开发关键的在线计算工具，作为纳米生物设备模拟和实验验证的基本构件；2)开发工作流程，将不同规模的模拟连接起来，并导致纳米生物设备设计的可扩展在线环境；3)创建变革性的生物学教育资源，通过交互模拟和可视化注入现代纳米科学概念；4)展示了信息共享和知识发现的新范式，以及用于计算和实验纳米生物数据集的可搜索集合的创新可扩展数据库。为了优化可用资源，纳米生物节点规划战略一直是在网络内组织网络，接触校园内的关键生物工程和生命科学小组，然后与相关的IGERT项目、多所大学中心和产业合作建立伙伴关系，以创建一个全国性的互动结构。还与加州大学默塞德分校建立了关键的合作伙伴关系，以利用现有的研究和教育合作，并利用他们基于计算生物学的本科课程。加州大学默塞德分校和加州大学分子与细胞生物学学院合作设计引人入胜的材料，将推动NCN成为一个革命性的生物学课堂环境，将研究与教育相结合，并激发本科生发展跨学科思维，反映IGERT的使命。这些丰富的在线资源也将有助于在K-12教育中获取和理解纳米生物的概念。为了解决对设备和系统的关注，NanoBio节点将与UIUC在计算生物学、生物设备制造和信息技术方面拥有尖端专业知识的实验室合作，这些实验室包括：贝克曼研究所、微纳技术实验室、基因组生物学研究所和国家超级计算应用中心。加州大学默塞德分校还将在培养和指导合格的代表性不足的学生走向纳米生物学科的职业生涯方面发挥重要作用。智力价值：纳米生物设备和系统的设计者和制造商面临的一个巨大挑战是缺乏集成的计算和培训工具，以解决连接生物学和工程学所需的多个长度尺度和物理复杂性。NCN一个专门的纳米生物节点的建立为解决这一问题提供了一个令人兴奋的机会，并制定了一个覆盖全国的全面计划，以支持纳米生物的研究和教育。NCN NanoBio节点的愿景是形成一个活跃的社区，加速创建纳米科学和纳米工程方面的多学科计算工具和变革性培训材料，以设计将对我们的生活质量和环境产生积极影响的新型纳米生物设备和系统。这一努力将通过促进培训对人力资源的开发产生重大影响。在线工具的可获得性也将使工业受益，特别是需要获得专门资源的小企业和纳米生物初创企业。广泛的影响：控制医疗成本和改善服务的紧迫性，提供安全和充足的食品供应的紧迫性，以及作为可持续能源战略的一部分需要高效的生物燃料生产，所有这些都表明生物学是未来的关键科学，纳米技术是推动者。NanoBio节点的最终目标是为发现适合NanoBio应用的设备创造资源，并培养下一代领导者，他们将把NanoBio技术从研究转化为市场。这些都是医疗保健行业持续转型和振兴的关键步骤，对美国一个重要制造业创造新的高科技就业机会具有广泛的潜在影响。为了维持这一愿景，需要一批拥有多个物理和生命科学学科专业知识的新一代科学家和工程师。该节点渴望成为真正创新的跨学科教育机会的催化剂，提出了一个令人兴奋的教育计划，为从K到博士的多方面和综合途径奠定了基础。

This proposal aims to establish the nanoBIO node of the reconfigured Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN) at Illinois. The proposed node will create extensive online resources with the purpose to position the NCN Cyber Platform as the focal point for collaborative interactions of a diverse computational and experimental nanoBIO community. Although the proposal covers a comprehensive range of activities, the overriding goal is to organize the node as the first step towards a nanoBIO eco-system, by completing a set of four high-priority technical objectives: 1) development of critical online computational tools as essential building blocks for nanoBIO device simulation and experimental validation; 2) development of workflows linking simulations at different scales and leading to an extensible online environment for nanoBIO device design; 3) creation of transformative educational resources for biology, infusing modern nanoscience concepts via interactive simulation and visualization; 4) demonstration of a new paradigm for information sharing and knowledge discovery, with innovative scalable databases for searchable collections of computational and experimental nanoBIO datasets.To optimize the available resources, the nanoBIO node planning strategy has been to organize a network within the network, reaching out to key bioengineering and life science groups on campus, followed by forging partnerships with related IGERT programs, multi-university centers, and industrial collaborations to create a national fabric of interactions. A key partnership has also been established with the University of California-Merced to capitalize on existing collaborations in research and education and to leverage their computational biology based undergraduate programs. A cooperative effort to design engaging material between UC-Merced and the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology at UIUC will drive the NCN to become a revolutionary biology classroom environment that integrates research with education and stimulates undergraduates to develop interdisciplinary thinking, mirroring the IGERT mission. These rich online resources will also facilitate the access and understanding of nanoBIO concepts in K-12 education. To address the focus on devices and systems, the nanoBIO node will engage laboratories at UIUC with cutting-edge expertise in computational biology, bio-device fabrication and information technology, these laboratories include: the Beckman Institute, the Micro & Nanotechnology Laboratory, the Institute for Genomic Biology, and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. UC Merced will also play an important role in creating and directing qualified underrepresented students towards pursuing careers in nanoBIO disciplines.Intellectual Merit: An immense challenge faced by designers and manufacturers of nanoBIO devices and systems is the lack of integrated computational and training tools addressing the multiple length scales and the physical complexity needed to bridge biology with engineering. The establishment of a dedicated nanoBIO node of NCN provides an exciting opportunity to address this and formulates a comprehensive plan with nation-wide reach to support nanoBIO research and education. The vision for this NCN nanoBIO node is to form an active community that accelerates the creation of multidisciplinary computational tools and transformative training materials in nanoscience and nanoengineering for the design of novel nanoBIO devices and systems that will have a positive influence on our quality of life and environment. This effort will have a major impact on the development of human resources by facilitating training. The availability of online tools will also benefit industry, particularly small businesses and nanoBIO start-ups needing access to specialized resources.Broader Impact: The urgency to contain health care costs and improve services, the imperatives to provide safe and plentiful food supplies, and the need for efficient bio-fuel production as part of a sustainable energy strategy all point to biology as the pivotal science of the future, and nanotechnology as the enabler. The ultimate goal of the nanoBIO node is to create resources for the discovery of devices suitable for nanoBIO applications, and to train the next generation of leaders who will translate nanoBIO technologies from research to the marketplace. These are crucial steps toward sustained transformation and revitalization of the health care industry, with broad potential impact on the creation of new high-tech jobs in an important manufacturing sector in the US. A new breed of scientists and engineers, with expertise across multiple physical and life science disciplines, is needed to sustain this vision. The node aspires to be the catalysts for truly innovative interdisciplinary education opportunities, putting forward an exciting educational plan which lays the foundations for a multi-faceted and integrated K-to-PhD pathway.